Avid Armor usv32 Chamber Vacuum Sealer Review
Chamber vacuum sealers are a proven technology used for many years in the commercial packaging industry. Chamber vacuum technology picks up where the standard, suction-type vacuum sealers begin to fall short. The USV32 Chamber Vacuum Sealer is made to create a maximum level of vacuum when sealing all types of food but also excels at effectively vacuum sealing any liquid or liquid-rich food. Everything from soups, sauces, and marinades to your favorite infused cocktail.
This unit is a legit combo of performance, footprint, and price. The build quality is excellent, it does what it is supposed to do relatively quietly and quickly. Easy to use features let you tweak the cycles to your preferences, and it weighs so much less than most other units of its type that it's not a massive effort to move it around. It also looks good on the counter, btw.
If I have one thing to add to a wish list for the next version, Avid Armor usv32 Chamber Vacuum Sealer would be a lid that stays open at whatever angle you want/needs it to be. I have a good-sized kitchen, but obviously, the sealer needs to be near an outlet, so for me, at least, that means on the counter under cabinets.
The unit is designed for the lid to stay open only at the full 90 degrees vertical, and I don't have enough clearance for that without having to move it around in the kitchen--so I have to contort a bit to get a full bag of marinating meat into the unit without spilling it all over myself or the vac sealer. I suppose that's a quibble based on my specific circumstances, but I am sure I am not the only one. That notwithstanding, I 100% recommend this unit to anyone serious about their vac sealing, sous vide prep or food storage.
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This is hands down the BEST vacuum sealer I’ve ever used. I am enthusiastic about cooking and do a lot of sous vide and grilling/smoking. I tend to meal prep by making large amounts of proteins and sealing them into individual portions for quick and easy home dinners. Due to the volume and frequency in which I cook, I’ve used a lot of vacuum sealers.
I would burn through a “home grade” food saver in less than a year. I got sick of buying disposable sealers and started looking for something more commercial quality, without the commercial price tag. I’ve used all 3 of Avid Armors' vacuum sealers. The a3100 model (least expensive) is perfect for the average home cook.
It’s got all the bells and whistles you need and a great price. The a100 model was probably my favorite sealer I’ve ever had the pleasure to use (until they released this chamber sealer). It was high quality, had a nice wide seal, and could perform consecutive seals time after time (I’ve done as many as 75 bags in a row without ever waiting for it to cool).
That brings me to this bad boy, the USV32 Chamber Vacuum Sealer:
Differences between chamber sealers (USV32) and traditional sealers (a100)- Traditional vacuum sealers work by sucking the air out of the bag and then sealing it to prevent air from getting back in. Chamber sealers create a vacuum inside the bag, but also the chamber around it so there is no suction created in the bag itself (the pressure inside the bag, and in the surrounding chamber is the same), it then seals the bag and allows the chamber to re-pressurize.
Since the pressure inside the bag was lower, and it’s sealed now it collapses around the food inside creating a perfectly sealed package. There are pros and cons of each type. The biggest pro of a traditional sealer is they are usually smaller, and the size of the item being sealed is only limited by the bag.
This means Avid Armor usv32 Chamber Vacuum Sealer is great for roasts or long items like tomahawk ribeyes. Traditional sealers struggle with things like a liquid because they pull air out of the bag, they tend to pull juices along with it. This makes it hard to do wet foods such as fish, but also hard to get all the air out of liquids like soups, etc.
The chamber sealer surpasses traditional sealers in almost every other way. They excel at wet foods and liquids because the air is removed from the bag and the chamber, liquids stay put. They also create a much tighter vacuum on odd-shaped items. The bags are significantly less expensive (they don’t have to use a textured side to slow down liquids, so are less costly to produce).
They also allow for a marinate cycle, which infuses meat or whatever else you’re marinating by cycling through vacuum stages without sealing. This drives the marinade into your food without having to let it sit for hours in the fridge. This also allows you to infuse things like fruit, cold pickle items, or infuse liquors like limoncello (so good).
This USV32 chamber sealer was extremely high quality. It has to weigh close to, or more than 25 pounds. The lid is a very nice thick glass and the sides are full of stainless steel. The front has very nice soft-touch buttons and the entire thing just FEELS premium. It’s a nice change of pace after handling food saver sealers...
I’ve run almost 100 bags through this machine in the time I’ve had it, and haven’t had a single bad seal, or failed vacuum. The seal bar creates a DOUBLE seal, so even if one fails or you have a piece of food stuck in it you’ve got backup. They also go the extra mile and send a spare seal bar- yes you can actually REPLACE parts without having to buy a new machine, unlike many popular brands.
I’ve had questions over the time that I’ve had my avid armor products and contacted customer service via email. They are always very prompt, polite, and super knowledgeable. In addition to the extremely high quality of their products, their CS team is another big plus.
Bottom Line: if you use a lot of bags, and seal liquids or wet foods often... this is the machine for you. If you like science (if you’ve never seen water “boil” at room temp go watch a video of someone sealing water in a chamber sealer) and impress your friends at a dinner party... this is the machine for you! You likely will make up the difference in cost between a traditional sealer in the cost of bags, and gain all the additional features like marinade mode and the ability to seal wet and liquid items.
If you’re a more casual user or don’t seal liquids then take a look at the Avid Armor a100, it’s the best traditional style vacuum sealer out there. Either way, you’re going to end up with a vacuum sealer that will last longer and perform better than anything else you’ve used.
Product model:
About this item:
HEAVY-DUTY STAINLESS CONSTRUCTION CHAMBER VAC MACHINE - Working Chamber Sealer dimensions: 11.5"W x 12"L x 3.5"H. Sized for larger sized food items and liquids. Includes a FREE Vacuum Filler Plate to increase vacuum pressure and decrease vacuuming time!
CLEAR VIEW GLASS LID FOR EASY LOADING - Provides Full Visibility of vacuum & seal process. Our Ultra Series vacuum chamber food sealer machines are perfect for your kitchen!
COMPACT SIZE WITH ONE TOUCH EASY TO USE CONTROLS - Set the program and forget it! Perfect packs each time, automatically, ensuring a perfect positive seal each time! Locks In freshness, nutrients, odors and prevents freezer burn. The USV32 vacuum chamber sealer machine is the ultimate tool for sous vide cooking.
11" L SEAL BAR WITH 2 SEALING WIRES: For use with vacuum chamber pouches in sizes: 6x10, 6x12, 8x10, 8x12, 10x13, and 11x10". Perfect size vacuum chamber sealer for your kitchen counter or your processing room.
NO MAINTENANCE DRY PISTON VACUUM PUMP - Proven high vacuum pressure pump to achieve strong vacuum on foods, infusions, and marinades. Great for pickling, infusions, and compressed fruits such as watermelon.
PRIDE IN OUR PRODUCTS AND USA CUSTOMER SUPPORT: Our Team takes pride in handling your orders, questions, and any necessary support from our USA office and warehouse. Have comfort in knowing that upon receipt of your order, before shipping, your machine is tested and calibrated in our US warehouse by one of our certified technicians. Each machine includes a check-out card with the test date and technician's name. Our goal is complete satisfaction!
Update:
I really wanted to buy a heavier duty, IMO, commercial type machine even though I really didn't need one like that. What I really needed was an easily portable unit. I like my counters clean and uncluttered and keep my large kitchen tools in my pantry. This unit has worked out fantastic in that respect as I've moved it back and forth at least 20 times and each time I'm glad it isn't one of those 80# units.
Aesthetically pleasing, more than any of the others, and not nearly as loud as I'd feared. I wanted a good test before reviewing and my freezer stockpile was woefully low as my other vacuum sealer bit the dust a while back. I've filled my dedicated freezer, my refrigerator freezer, and a good bit of dry goods. I think I've given it a good run and it's passed the test to my satisfaction. Satisfied customer.
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